Page 80 (1/2)

Chapter 1

“You’re wearing that?” Chloe crinkled her nose as she looked Ophelia over “You can’t keep dressing like this, O This is Vegas”

“No” Priya clucked her tongue “You look like you’re going to a funeral”

Ophelia rolled her eyes and leaned on the edge of the vanity, watching her friends prireed with the black skinny jeans and a plain black tank top to a party would probably get her onto soossip website She’d tried toher Jimmy Choos and a diah

Funny how everything could change in just a day A moment even A phone call

Two o, she would’ve been worried about whether her lipstick shade co trouble giving two flying fucks about clothes or makeup

“This is the biggest party of the year,” Priya said, then turned to the mirror to apply her fake lashes Like Chloe, she could contour like a professional makeup artist Not that she needed it Her complexion was perfect The two of them didn’t just dress trendy either—they created trends

Chloe’s red hair hung in loose curls down her back, accented with a jeweled clip on one side Both wore tight dresses designed to draw attention Today, Ophelia looked like their uncultured cousin tagging along as their charity project

“Jason will be there for sure,” Priya said with a smirk

Chloe purred, “Mot a sock down there or do you think it’s the real deal?”

“Chloe!” Ophelia yelled, trying to be offended for Jason’s sake

“What?” Her friend shrugged “I know you’ve seen the bulge How could you not?”

Priya laughed “Too bad he’s only got eyes for O”

Ophelia didn’t want his eyes Or his bulge Or his boring conversation, either They’d been on a couple dates and he’d droned on and on about hi a breath between sentences

Her friends called her a “chronic first-dater” She rarely went on second dates Her irls The guys in her social circle called her a frigid bitch Neither was true Even before her father passed away, she’d found ine starting a relationship Not when her heart still felt so raw from his death He was the only person in the world she felt actually loved her When she was a child she’d known the nannies just showed up every day for the money Her own mother had skipped out on visitation half the time after her parents had divorced

Since he’d died twoand empty Ophelia hadn’t been a picnic to be around She wondered if guys were coe, not because they were actually interested

She seriously needed to start reevaluating her social circle

But God forbid she missed the banquets and multimillion-dollar house parties Herthan Lorna Davis on a rant about preserving the fa an only child sucked The role of golden child or disappointment fell on her alone

Her phone beeped She looked doondering who’d bothered to text her Other than Chloe and Priya, who she’d grown up with, everyone else had faded away after her father had died and she’d shut down